Desk Report,
I wanted to sit by the sea and think deeply: Nasiruddin Patwari
National Citizens Party (NCP) Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari has responded to the party’s show cause notice for his visit to Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday (August 5), the first anniversary of the July uprising. In response, he said, “Sitting on the shore of the sea, I wanted to think deeply about the uprising, the citizens’ committee, the structure of the citizens’ party, the future Constituent Assembly and the outline of a new democratic constitution. I do not consider it a crime, but rather a responsible mental exercise for a political worker.”
I wanted to sit by the sea and think deeply: Nasiruddin Patwari
Nasiruddin Patwari posted the response to the show cause notice on his verified Facebook account at around 4 pm today, Thursday. Earlier, on Wednesday, the party issued a show cause notice to five NCP leaders including Nasiruddin regarding the Cox’s Bazar visit and asked them to appear in person and give a written explanation to the party’s two top leaders within 24 hours regarding the reason and context of the visit. In response to the show cause notice, one of the top NCP leaders Nasiruddin Patwari wrote that he did not have any pre-scheduled state or organizational program on August 5. He was not informed of any responsibility or work plan in this regard by the party either. On the night of August 4, the party’s chief organizer (southern region) Hasnat Abdullah used the phone of his coaching office colleague to inform him that he would be going on a two-day trip with his school friends. He asked Hasnat to inform the party convener about the matter. Hasnat said that he would inform the matter and asked him to inform him as well, since Hasnat’s own phone was stolen during the padayatra (a district-to-district July padayatra throughout the month of July).
Nasiruddin wrote, “On the night of August 4, I met the NCP convener (Nahid Islam) at the party office and informed him of the matter. On the same night, I contacted the party’s member secretary (Akhtar Hossain) over the phone and learned that three representatives from the party were going to a state function (July declaration reading ceremony) and I had no work there. Since I had no responsibilities and as part of my personal needs and mental preparation, I decided to go on a tour. My wife Sarjis Alam and Tasnim Zara-Khaled Saifullah joined me as my travel companions.” In response to the notice, the NCP’s chief coordinator wrote, “I went on a tour. However, the aim of this tour was to think privately about the future direction of politics. Sitting on the shore of the sea, I wanted to think deeply about the mass uprising, the citizens’ committee, the structure of the citizens’ party, the future Constituent Assembly and the outline of a new democratic constitution. I do not consider it a crime, but rather a responsible mental exercise for a political worker.’
‘A sign of civilization in an uncivilized world’
Various rumors were spread around the Cox’s Bazar visit of five NCP leaders. In his response to that, NCP leader Nasiruddin Patwari wrote, ‘After reaching Cox’s Bazar, rumors suddenly spread that we had come to meet former US Ambassador (posted in Dhaka) Peter Haas! I immediately informed the media that this was completely false and a deliberate propaganda. The hotel authorities confirmed that there was no one named Peter Haas there. Later, it was learned from various sources that he was staying in Washington at the time. This rumor is a planned conspiracy and an attempt to tarnish our image. I have stayed in this hotel in the past and there was never any controversy. I have visited several times in the past, but I was never given any message from the party that visiting would violate the party’s rules.’
